Binding



June 5, 1951 C. E. EMMER mL 2,555,534

BINDING Filed June 2, 1945 g nlu yy 75% ,f6/Mw @Jg Patented June 5, 1951 BINDING Charles EdwardEmmer and Livio Anthony Valli,

Chicago, Ill., assignors o-General BndingCorporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application .l une 2, 1945, Serial No. 597,198

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a binding for loose- It is a further object of the invention to provide a loose-leaf binding in which relatively slidable members carry cooperable ring portions which abut to provide closed rings in one position of the members and are separated to open the rings in another position of said members.

It is also an object to provide a loose-leaf binding in which relatively slidable members carry cooperable ring portions providing a plurality of closed rings in one position of said members, and being separated for opening the rings in another position of said members, which have means for looking them in their ring-closing position.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a loose-leaf binding in which resilient ring portions are carried by a pair of relatively slidable members and adapt-ed for resilient abutting engagement upon movementoi said members in one direction so as to provide tightly closed rings.

A still further object is the provision of a loose-leaf binding in which cooperable ring portions are carried by relatively slidable members for opening and closing of the rings, the slidable members having means to guide and limit the movement thereof.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the Vfollowing description and the appended drawings.

On the drawing;

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a looseleaf binder having applied thereto the binding of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along theline II--II of Figure 1;

'Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the binding of this invention in closed position, with parts in section;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the `parts in open position;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4, but showing a slightly modiiied form of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 3, but

illustrating a still further modified `form of the invention.

The binding is shown in 'Figures l and 2 as applied to a loose-leaf binder Ii! having a back il, with sheets l2 therein. Apertures I3 are provided along a margin of the sheets `I2 for securement of the sheets in the binder.

The binding comprises a pair of plates I4 and I5, the plate I5 overlying the plate I4. Extending upwardly from one edge of the plate I4 are spaced prongs or ring portions I ii. From the edge of the plate I5 remote from the ring portions i there extend upwardly spaced ring portions Il. The ends of the ring portions IS and il are adapted to meet in closed position of the binding to provide a plurality of closed rings. The ring portions I6 and I'I maybe resiilent, and if desired may have a combined extent transversely of the plates greater than the combined width of the plates in locked position., for the purpose explained below. Means may be provided onthe plate VI5 to facilitate Vclasping thereof for moving the plates relative to each other, such as the vertically extending lug or tab I8. The binding may be secured to the binder l in any suitable manner, as'by riveting to the back I I.

As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the: plate I5` is provided with slots I9 which extend at an angle to the axis of the plate, and have oppositely disposed end portion [Sa and ISb which extend parallel to the axis. The plate I4 is provided with projections ZE! each extending into one of the slots I9 and preferably provided with a head or lateral projection wider than. the slot so as to prevent separation of the plates. `As shown in Figure 2, the projections may take the form of rivets. Instead of rivets, headedpins or other projections integral with the plate Ill may, of course, be employed. The end portions ISC'. of the slots are those adjacent the edge of the plate l5 nearer the ring portions I6, and the end portions .Illb are more remote from that edge of the plate.

With the elements of the binding in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the portions IE and I'! provide closed rings. By drawing the plate I 5 downwardly as viewed Figure 3, the plate i5 will be moved downwardly and tothe right relative to the plate I4, as shown in Figure fl, by reason of 'the coaction ofthe slots I-S and the projections 2l). The plates i4 and l5 are thus shifted both transversely and longitudinally, so that the ring `portions :le and I'I are `separated transversely and at `the same time offset from each other longitudinally of the plates. The end portions Ita and IQb of `the slots IS cause the Ainitial and final movements: of `the .plates to be in the longitudinal or axial Ydirection, so that the ring portions in being separated are rst moved apart longitudinally Voif the plates, and similarly, are movedY longitudinally of the plates into registry and alignment with each other in closing of the binding.

The ring portions I6 and I'I may be made resilient and utilized to make a tight joint, or in 5 l gapping in the ring.

When the plates are in closed position, they are held locked by the engagement of the projections v2l] in the end portions Ilb of the slots I9 and the engagement of the edge of the plate I5 against Ythe feet of the ring portions I5. The projections Z on the plate I4 are so spaced from the feet of `the ring portions I5, and the end portions I9b of the slots I9 are so located in the plate I5, that lthe plate I is jammed or wedged against the ring portions I5 when the projections 2li are in the slot portions |50, and the binding elements are thus held against accidental unlocking or opening. 'I'he end portions Ilia may be omitted if desired but preferably are provided to hold the plates against relative transverse movement in open position of the binding by engagement of the projections 20 therein.

In Figure 5, a modified construction of the binding is illustrated in Which the slot |91 has an end portion ISC, corresponding in position to the end portion Ib above described, extending at a.

slight angle to the axis of the plate I5 instead of parallel thereto, so that as the plates i5 and I5 are moved to closed position they have a relative wedging movement into the nal locked position. The slot I9 and end portion |90 are so proportioned and located on the plate I5 in relation to the lip I5 and rivet 25 that this final Wedging movement occurs after the edge of the plate I5 has reached a position close to or axially in contact With the lip I5.

InV Figure 6, there is illustrated a construction of the binding by which the rings may be opened by relative movement of the plates I4 and I5 in either longitudinal direction, and closed by movement of the plates in the reverse direction. Instead of the diagonal slot I5 provided in the other forms oi the invention, a generally V- shaped slot 2l is provided in the plate I5, having two branches 22. Each branch 22 of the slot extends from a notch' 23 at the junction of the branches diagonally toward the edge of the plate I5 adjacent the ring portions I5 of the plate I4. Oppositely extending end portions 22a are provided at the ends of the branches 22 adjacent this edge of the plate. These slot end portions correspond to the end portions I9a previously described. The projection 25 on the plate I4 is engaged in this slot 2 I, and the projection and slot are so located that When the plates I4 and I5 are in locked position the projection 20 engages in the notch 23. A tongue 23a is formed in the plate I5 opposite the notch 23 to provide a sufficiently constricted space for snug reception of the projection 2U in the notch. The pressure of the tongue 23a against the projection holds the parts against unintentional movement The plate I5 thus may be urged longitudinally dinally and transversely by reason of the coaction 4 i of the rivet 20 with one or the other of the branches 22 of the slot. The ring portions I6 and I1 are thus separated transversely and moved to offset position relative to each other longitudinally of the plates. Relative movement of the plates in the opposite direction then results in the ring portions being brought into engagement and alignment to provide rings for holding the sheets I2 in the binder I0. The notch 23 serves as a locking portion of the slot 2|, so that relative movement of the rivet 20 out of the notch 23 and into one of the slot branches 22 must occur before any substantial opening of the rings may take place. The tongue 23a and notch 23 also provide means for causing nal Wedging action of the plates When moved to locked position, being positioned slightly farther from the edge of the plate I5 adjacent the ring portions I6 than the other portions of the slot 2l. The notch 23 in this respect is similar to the end portion of the slot I9 of the -binding illustrated in Figure 5.

If desired, the plate I4 may be so formed as not to contact the ring portions I6, and the portions IIB and Il formed to have a combined extent transversely of the plates greater than the distance across the plates in their locked position. The plates are locked by reason of the resilient pressure of the ring portions I6 and II against each other.

On the other hand, the ring portions I5 and I? may be made of a size such that the rings provided thereby are of the same extent as the Width of the plates, so that the ring portions are in snugly abutting relation in closed position of the binding, Without exerting any pressure on each other. The ring portions may therefore be either resilient or rigid, as may be convenient or desirable. With such a construction, of course, the ring portions I5 and I'I .are not relied upon to lock the plates in closed position.

As shown, the free ends of the ring portions I5 and I7 of the bindings illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, are preferably formed at an angle. If for any reason a slight separation of the ring portions takes place, the sheets I2 Will Vstill be held by the rings, since the extreme'ends of the ring portions will be in lapped relation transversely, though spaced longitudinally, of the plates. The angled ends of the ring portions I5 and I7 also facilitate the engagement and disengagement of the ring portions in the closing and opening of the rings, and particularly in the case of the ring portions resiliently pressing each other as described above.

In the Iconstruction illustrated in Figure 6,

however, the ends of the ring portions IE and II are formed to parallel the axis of the plates, so there will be no interference with movements of the ring portions and plates in either longitudinal direction.

The oisetting of the ring portions I6 and I1 longitudinally of the plates in open position of the binder prevents the sheets I2 from becoming caught on the ring portions of one plate when it is desired to engage the sheets on the ring portions of the other plate, since the apertures I3 of the sheet can be aligned with only one set of ring portions and the other set therefore cannot catch in the apertures. YAt the same time, sheets may readily be inserted or removed by reason of the separation of the ring portions I6 and Il transversely of the plates.

It Will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A loose-leaf binding comprising a pair of plates relatively slidable on each other, a plurality of ring portions on each plate engageable to provide a plurality of closed rings, the ring portions on each plate being aligned in parallelism with those of the other plate, a generally V-shaped slot in one plate having its apex remote from the ring portions of the other plate, a projection on the other plate engaging in said slot, a longitudinally extending portion at said apex, and a tongue extending into said slot in opposed relation to said longitudinally extending portion for looking said projection at said apex upon relative movement of said plates to ring closing position.

2. A loose-leaf binding comprising a pair of plates relatively slidable on each other, a plurality of ring portions on each plate engageable to provide a plurality of Iclosed rings, the ring 2 portions of each plate being aligned in parallelism with those of the other plates, a generally V-shaped slot in one plate having its apex remote from the ring portions of the other plates, a projection on the other plates engaging in said slot, a notch in the side of said plate portions defining said slot at said apex, and a tongue extending into said slot in opposed relation to said notch for locking said projection at said apex upon relative movement of said plate to ring-closing position.

CHARLES EDWARD EMMER.

LIVIO ANTHONY VALLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 503,959 Hasting et al. Aug. 29, 1893 782,247 Hill Feb. 14, 1905 920,508 Walker May 4, 1909 1,000,649 Walker Aug. 15, 1911 1,556,908 Briggs Oct. 13, 1925 1,820,222 Guyatt Aug. 25, 1931 1,894,734 Dawson Jan. 17, 1933 2,183,231 Trussell Deo. 12, 1939 2,191,886 Hanna Feb. 27, 1940 2,202,567 Spinner May 28, 1940 Gibson Apr. 29, 1941 

